


To Be The Robin

by SuperSilverSpy



Series: BatNames and BirdNames [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Angst, De-Aged Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson Angst, Dick Grayson Has Issues, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Dick Grayson Whump, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Dick Grayson is Robin, Dick Grayson is the Robin, Dick Grayson-centric, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hurt Dick Grayson, Hurt/Comfort, SilverGrayson, SuperSilverSpy, de-aged fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25321849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperSilverSpy/pseuds/SuperSilverSpy
Summary: “And I- I know you didn't tell them” he was crying in earnest now, even as his voice grew steadier, strong. “I can tell from their faces, and older me may have been okay with it, may have not told them the true meaning of Robin, but I will. I can't let her just be disrespected like that, Mr. Wayne. I just, can't.”OR Dick gets De-Aged and the origin of Robin comes to light.
Relationships: Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd, Dick Grayson and Tim Drake
Series: BatNames and BirdNames [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1834120
Comments: 38
Kudos: 373





	To Be The Robin

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys  
> This is so not edited  
> Like, not even  
> There are plenty of changes I should and will probably make  
> But I wrote this the other day late late at night  
> And I wanted to post it now because there’s a super important question I’m going to ask you in the AN below  
> I didn’t think you guys would answer if I didn’t give at least something in return

Nightwing's distress beacon had been activated. That was never good news. Tim hurried toward its location, gritting his teeth at the blinking dot on his holo-glove. They were short a bat already, or rather, the bat; they could not afford to lose another. Red Robin was closest and so he arrived before the others who were sure to come. 

At first, it seemed as if the man himself had vanished, leaving behind the familiar black and blue uniform. That was not the case however, Tim discovered as he peered closer, having already scanned the empty warehouse. There was a— slight bulge…

Cautiously, he ventured nearer. Pulling back the suit revealed a face so familiar it gave Tim a feeling he didn't quite know how to deal with, and so he didn't. Instead, he called Red Hood.

“What is it shortstack?” came the welcoming remark to shock him out of his stupor.

“Jay… It's Dick. It's him. Oh sh** Jason, it's him. You need to get here, fast.”

“What? Hey, slow down a min-"

It was him alright. Same sleek, raven hair, same features, if a bit softer around the edges. Even same resting face. Hopefully their Dick was still in there, that the only changes made were physical. Tim would have to run some tests, and of course, wait for him to wake up. 

This downed bird looked to be (physically) about ten or so. Enough time for his colors to be out on the streets with Zucco behind bars, but before Young Justice came about that's for sure. The poor thing awoke to Red Hood's noisy entrance, crashing through a window nearly guns a-blazing.

“Shh," Tim hissed, eyeing the kid as he blinked groggily, and shifting into as a defensive position as one can get while weighed down by too much Kevlar.

Jason slowed “Is that…?” He whistled, laughing. “No sh** replacement, that's Dickie alright, and lemme guess, he doesn't know who we are? Talk about f***ing up."

Red Robin rolled his eyes at the other man's mirth, glaring at him as he ran out of breath from laughing so hard.

“Who are you? How do you know my name?” Dick asked, looking like he was about to bolt. 

Not even bothering to look at the elder, knowing he'd be of zero help, Tim searched for a way to answer the first bird's questions. “Would you believe me if I said you were twenty-some years old earlier today, but got de-aged while on patrol?”

“I have no memory of this, is that even possible? This must be a test, or a joke or something.”

Jason snorted, “I wish, though I’d say you’re not far off.”

“Can it Hood,” Tim sighed, “you want proof?”

“I wouldn’t trust it, but sure.”

Pulling up his holo-computer screen, information and pictures regarding one Dick Grayson and world news scrolled down, “this good enough?”

Dick grunted, eyes narrowed suspiciously, “I'll think about it. And what exactly does that make you?”

“We're your future brothers. Bruce adopted us after you and we help him as Batman fight crime,” Tim says carefully. Little Dickie  blinks , eyes widening at the implications.

“Fin e the n, take me to him."

“Don't worry, we wi—" 

Robin  drops in, late to the party as he'd been furthest away. Dick's reaction  is instantaneous upon seeing the predecessor. He  shrieks , staring wide-eyed at Damian—or rather, his costume—before all-out balling. 

He  cries as Jason  gets roped into picking him up. He  cries through the arrival of a certain batified vehicle. He  cries through relocation into said batified vehicle, and all the way home.

Damian, to put it mildly,  is terrified. This was not the Grayson he knew, it was a child. One who apparently didn't like him very much. To be honest, they were all very numb as they neared the Manor. A sense of surreality befalling them with every tear that slid down the little bird's chubby cheeks. This could not be happening.

* * *

Oh, but it was happening. It happened for two days straight. Two days of blank stares and tight lips that opened for nothing and no one, despite Alfred’s best efforts. It was as if they had broken him. The kid just sat there, like a broken robot. If Dick was not moved, he didn't.

It enraged Jason, who stayed for the 'family emergency' (and because of the look Alfred gave him when caught trying to sneak out). Tim searched tirelessly for a solution, calling up Zatana—who was unfortunately occupied—and others who might be able to help. Damian locked himself in his room for most of the duration, exiting only when deemed necessa,y, and staunchly ignoring Dick.

The two day record ended when Bruce came back from his business trip overseas, ending the creepy, unfocused and robotic trance just as abruptly as it'd started.

“...then Demon showed up and the kid went crazy! Took him ages to stop screaming and crying—"

“All the way to the Manor,” Tim sighed.

“—he's been practically catatonic since. B, I think—"

As soon as they rounded the corner, Dick launched himself up from the chair he'd been spaced-out in, face awash with emotion. He startled everyone except, apparently, Bruce, who caught the little bird so naturally it was as if he'd been doing it for years. The instincts of an acrobat's father surpassed that of defense, and needless to say, his other three sons were very nearly shellshocked. Not as much as they were about to be though, for what came out of the young Dick next:

“You didn't! Did you? Tell me you didn't! You'd never.” The kid looked up at Bruce imploringly, tears already welling up. The man opened his mouth to answer, staring sadly (or what passed as sadly for him) at the child.

“I—”

“Y-you did! Why is he called Robin? You know how much it means. My mother's special name for me! My legacy! My acrobat colors!” He jumped down, tears streaming from his face as he pointed accusingly at the case.

“What’s that? ‘A good soldier’? What h-happened there, B? Jason is r—right there! He’s not a ‘soldier’, that was never what Robin was s’posed to be!”

And I—I know you didn't tell them.” He was crying in earnest now, even as his voice grew steadier, stronger. “I can tell from their faces, and older me may have been okay with it, may have not told them the true meaning of Robin, but I will. I can't let her just be disrespected like that, Mr. Wayne. I just can't.”

He stalked over to Tim. “You say 'Batman needed a Robin', yeah? Well there is no 'a Robin', no replacements. No stupid mantle with it's stupid shoes to fill and shadow to drown in. Robin is not about competition, Robin is me.”

The tears had dried now and the little boy with haunted, crystal-blue orbs stormed away., leaving the batfam in stunned silence behind him. Bruce had forgotten how well Dick could read people, how truly intelligent he was, and how Batman's first little detective might as well have been born that way.

  
  
  


For Dick was right, and Bruce's wrong, his darkness would always be corrected by the true Robin's light.

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clarify, I do not completely agree with everything Dick said  
> In fact, half those things weren’t even planned  
> I just started writing with the intent for him to throw a tantrum like a little kid  
> Then it ended up with him yelling at Bruce like a mature human being  
> I may like Jason a lot,  
> But Dick will always hold that special place  
> You can attempt to pry that out of my cold, dead hands  
> Anyway, this will be another series (cause I don’t have enough already amiright?)  
> But it popped into my head so deal with it  
> And I intend to finish every single one I start of course  
> Come back when I post the next work in it, and re-read this one  
> It’ll be very different and hopefully better, promise  
> Sorry for the long AN  
> Here’s the SUPER IMPORTANT QUESTION:  
> I had an argument with my family today, and if you’re not on my side  
> Get out  
> Jk, in a fight between Batman (without batkids) and Captain America (if you don’t know who he is get out from under that rock, Marvel is pretty great too)  
> Who would win?  
> Obviously, I say Bats  
> But sometimes I suck at arguing so please give me something good
> 
> Stay whelmed!  
> -Silver


End file.
